Leaving behind the members of the Sun-Woo Clan—who watched with relief and joy as their young lady Seol, long plagued by illness, finally regained her health—Alex found himself lost in thought. He was curious how such an influential clan ended up so far from their headquarters. There was only one person who might know the answer: Hayato, who, according to Alex, was familiar with Elder Kwon.
"Hayato, how did the Sun-Woo even end up here, this far from home?" Alex asked once they stepped aside.
Hayato didn't delay with the answer and explained everything as it was. It turned out the Sun-Woo Clan had also been forced to flee from pursuers. In the world of Murim, they held considerable influence due to their lineage and martial power, and that made them targets for other clans seeking to dethrone them. Alex wasn't particularly surprised. After all, it was a classic pattern—once someone became too powerful, the rest would band together to bring them down.
"Same old story..." Alex said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "Give people enough incentive, and they'll stab you in the back without a second thought. Doesn't matter if you were a friend, an ally, or even family."
Especially since, in the early days of the zombie apocalypse, the so-called Evil Corporation had offered generous rewards for killing "key targets," along with promises of safe havens. That kind of offer had quickly ignited greed and betrayal in people.
After chatting with Hayato, Alex headed toward the temporary lab, where the scientists were working hard to develop a vaccine for the zombie virus. However, his goal wasn't purely scientific—he wanted to get a closer look at the two newcomers who had recently joined his ship. Especially considering how far they were from home.
When he reached the lab, Alex didn't go in right away. He just stood in the doorway, watching the scene inside. The lab was buzzing—scientists were fully immersed in their research, seemingly having forgotten what sleep even was. The data Alex had provided appeared to be a real challenge—the zombie virus turned out to be far more complex than they expected, and now everyone was fueled with determination to create a cure.
Alex's gaze shifted to two girls who were speaking with a scientist—probably the team leader. The first was Claire Redfield. Smart, decisive, and, he had to admit, very attractive. Alex knew she worked with TerraSave and was extremely well-trained. The second was Rebecca Chambers, a true prodigy. At eighteen, she had already graduated college with a degree in chemistry, after which she was recruited into the S.T.A.R.S. unit in Raccoon City. Surviving the horrors of the Ecliptic Express and the Spencer Mansion, Rebecca not only pulled through but decided to keep studying, eventually becoming a professor.
"Oh—Boss! I didn't see you there!" the scientist exclaimed, spotting Alex.
"No worries. I just decided to drop by. Wanted to see how the vaccine development is going," Alex replied with a smile as he stepped inside.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the scientists all greeted him one after another, addressing him as "Boss." Alex still didn't know how that nickname had stuck, but he didn't bother correcting it either. He didn't really care what people called him—he'd been called a lot of things in his life.
Rebecca and Claire turned to look at him. They had already heard plenty of stories about this guy's exploits. What impressed them the most was that Alex was only eighteen. Few people his age could've escaped a city crawling with the undead—let alone lead a whole group of survivors out. And his tech inventions? Those were beyond anything they'd ever seen. But the facts spoke for themselves, and it was hard to argue with results.
Alex responded to the girls with a gentle smile and a slight nod. Once again, he noted how stunning Claire looked, while Rebecca seemed so fragile he instinctively wanted to hug and protect her. Though he knew very well — both of them could take care of themselves. Especially Claire, who had grown up with her brother Chris, and Rebecca, who had survived a real nightmare and still kept moving forward.
"To be honest, we haven't made that much progress yet," the lead scientist said regretfully. "But with Rebecca Chambers joining us, we might finally have a chance. Who would've thought this zombie virus would be such a biological mess..."
He shook his head, and Alex, watching the scene, just chuckled.
Hearing the scientist's words, Rebecca nodded proudly. Alex turned his gaze toward the girl. He knew that in the original timeline, she had managed to create a vaccine for the T-virus and many other strains that turned people into zombies. Still, he was curious — how did these two end up here, so far from home? He quickly guessed that Claire had likely arrived on a TerraSave mission. But as for Rebecca… he had no idea. Maybe she had been invited to Korea as a professor to give lectures or do research.
"So, how did you end up in Korea?" Alex asked with genuine curiosity, looking at the girls. "Claire Redfield — sister of Chris and a member of TerraSave. And you, Rebecca Chambers — former STARS member, now a professor of biochemistry. Didn't expect to see either of you here."
Claire raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Do we know each other? Or do you know my brother?"
"No, not personally," Alex replied calmly. "But I've read your files. Took a personal interest."
"And why would you read our files?" Rebecca asked quietly, clearly flustered.
Alex pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed them the list of targets marked for elimination by the Evil Corporation. Both Rebecca and Claire were on that list. The lead scientist, sensing the conversation was turning personal, left them and returned to work, inspired by some new ideas from Rebecca.
Alex handed the phone to Claire so she could see for herself. He explained that he got the list from a mercenary who had been sent to kill him. The information piqued his interest, and he started checking every name to figure out why the Corporation had put bounties on these people.
The two girls were shocked to see their names, detailed dossiers, and the hefty rewards offered for their heads.
"Are you... also on this list?" Claire asked bluntly, studying Alex's face.
Rebecca also leaned in with interest. Many of her former colleagues were on the list — those who were still alive. Claire spotted her brother's dossier, marked as a high-priority target. It made sense — Chris was a leader and had the power to inspire people to fight.
Alex scrolled all the way to the top of the list. His name and photo stood out, marked with a special label: Extremely Dangerous. He knew the list hadn't been updated in a while — the Corporation had plenty of problems of its own. Most of its branches around the world had been either destroyed or had defected.
The girls exchanged glances. They weren't surprised that such a high bounty was placed on Alex, especially after everything they'd heard about him from the scientists. Claire silently returned the phone.
"Well, ladies," Alex said, sliding the phone back into his pocket, "so, how did you end up so far from home?"
"I was invited to give a lecture at the biochemistry institute," Rebecca answered with a gentle smile. "Then all this madness started, and I stayed behind to help out in the hospitals."
Alex sighed. He understood how Rebecca felt. She had probably hoped that her battle with the nightmares of the past was finally over. But alas, the circle had come full once again. He placed a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of support. She only shook her head slightly and smiled, as if to say, "It's okay."
"When the outbreaks started happening all over the world, TerraSave immediately began sending their agents to help," Claire said. "I was sent to Korea. After that... well, I think you can figure it out."
"The important thing is that you're alive," Alex nodded. "Claire, were you able to get in touch with Chris?"
"Unfortunately, no. There was some contact at first, but it didn't last long. The last thing I heard was that their HQ was attacked — compromised. After that, nothing."
"Don't worry," Rebecca chimed in, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Chris is alive. He's strong and will definitely find a way out. He's probably already helping others."
Alex nodded. Knowing Chris, he had no doubt — the man had probably already gathered people and organized a defense, doing everything he could to save as many civilians as possible. Chris wasn't just an excellent fighter; he was a natural leader. No wonder the Corporation marked him as a high-priority target. Claire nodded in agreement to Rebecca's words — no one knew her brother better, and she understood perfectly how stubborn he could be when the situation demanded it.
"Well, I got what I wanted to know," Alex said with a light smile. "Make yourselves at home. And if you want to help — there's always work to be done here. Especially for someone like Rebecca, who earned her chemistry degree at eighteen. You don't meet a genius like that every day."
"If there's any genius here, it's you," Rebecca replied with a smile. "At your age, I wouldn't have been able to do even a tenth of what you can."
"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses," Alex shrugged.
"If you say so, genius boy who builds robots and fights in a way that leaves half the city in ruins," Claire teased, shooting him a smirk.
Alex laughed and waved before stepping out of the room. As he strolled through the corridor, his mind confirmed what he already suspected: Chris was likely still in America, doing everything in his power to organize the resistance. But Alex couldn't help but wonder — where were the rest of the S.T.A.R.S. members? He was especially curious about Jill Valentine and Barry Burton. Maybe Barry was with Chris, but Jill... that was more complicated. Two possibilities spun in his mind: either she was with Chris as well, or... Wesker had taken her again.
"Hmm... I wonder if Alex Wesker is still alive," he muttered, stroking his chin.
He knew that Alex Wesker had been loyal to Spencer — or at least pretended to be — while secretly hating the man with a burning passion. She was the one who created the T-Phobos virus, which activated when the infected experienced fear. Alex suspected that with this virus, she hoped to achieve immortality. Although she never found a true solution, she came up with the idea of transferring consciousness into another body — a twisted form of eternal life.
But what troubled Alex more was the question of whose side she was on now. Alex Wesker was an ambitious woman with grand plans, and despite everything, she didn't seem to hate Albert. On the contrary — she was even saddened when he died.
Alex rubbed his face tiredly. As if Davoth and Mr. Monolith weren't enough, now new players were appearing on the horizon. And the more allies he found, the greater the chance that new enemies would show up — ones who would threaten those very allies. He had lost count of how many villains were still bound to emerge.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, dumbass! Can't you look where you're walking?!" a sharp female voice snapped.
Alex felt a light push and looked down. Revy was sitting on the floor, rubbing her bruised backside. He immediately realized that he had gotten too lost in his thoughts and hadn't noticed when he practically collided with her. With an apologetic smile, he extended his hand to help her up.
Revy, throwing him an irritated glance at his hand, still grabbed it and stood up.
"Dammit, now my ass is all bruised because of you," she muttered, continuing to rub the sore spot.
"Want me to rub your boo-boo so the pain goes away?" Alex asked with an innocent smile.
"Go ahead, take a risk," Revy smirked, turning her back to him with a challenging look.
Alex grinned back and, without a hint of embarrassment, ran his hand across Revy's backside. He had no reason to be embarrassed — Revy really attracted him, and he never hid it. By his gaze, gestures, and behavior, it had long been clear that he wasn't indifferent to her.
Revy froze, staring at Alex in shock as he calmly rubbed her ass. Her expression, full of confusion, only fueled Alex's desire to tease her — with a light smirk, he squeezed her soft curves a couple of times.
"You said you'd just pat it, not knead me like a toy!" she finally blurted out, pushing his hand away. "You've lost all shame. I knew it — your girls aren't enough for you, and your horny hands are definitely going to wander to others!"
"But you allowed it," Alex countered, taking a step closer. "Besides, I never hid the fact that I like you."
Revy's eyes widened in surprise. Alex stepped forward, and she instinctively took a step back, until her back hit the cold wall. He came up close, their faces almost touching.
They could feel each other's breath. Time seemed to stand still — neither of them blinked, as if afraid to miss this moment. Revy's chest was in turmoil, emotions swirling: confusion, anger, attraction. She had called Alex a womanizer countless times, but she couldn't deny it — he attracted her. How could she not? He was handsome, smart, strong, and most importantly — caring and responsible.
She saw how tenderly he treated his girlfriends... and sometimes, she caught herself feeling jealous of the affection, the genuine displays of love he gave to others.
And now… their lips were almost touching. Just a little movement forward...
Revy closed her eyes and gave in to the impulse. Their lips met in a soft but emotionally charged kiss. In her head, it was like fireworks exploded. She stopped thinking — she only felt. Wrapping her arms around Alex's neck, she pulled him closer. He, in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist, responding to the kiss with the same intensity.
Their bodies pressed together, and everything else disappeared — it was just them, just this moment.
When the kiss ended, they remained standing, their foreheads touching, breathing heavily, staring into each other's eyes.
"So what now between us?" Revy quietly asked, looking into his eyes.
"What do you think?" Alex's voice carried a sense of certainty. "Do you think after a kiss like that, you can just say 'forget it' and walk away? Oh no, my dear Revy... now you're not going anywhere. Don't even think about running. If you want, I'll tie you to me until you stop wanting to run away."
His eyes darkened, turning into an abyss one could drown in.
"You know, has anyone ever told you that sometimes you act like a madman? Especially with lines like that and that look," Revy said, tensing up slightly but not breaking eye contact.
"No, no one's ever said that," Alex smirked. "But now, I think it's time to introduce you to the rest of them. I'm sure you'll like it... though it'll be a very unexpected revelation."
He lifted Revy by the waist, and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling herself closer.
"And what could possibly surprise me? Your nightly marathons?" she smirked, tightening her grip.
"Trust me, it will turn your world upside down," Alex said, his smile becoming truly mysterious.
Revy looked at Alex with curiosity when he mentioned wanting to talk to her. However, Alex wasn't entirely sure how she would take the truth. But since something had started between them, he wasn't going to hide who he was anymore.
All the girls knew what they were getting into, and Revy shouldn't feel excluded. He was even curious about how she would react: would she be scared and run away? Would she faint? Or, in the worst case, just decide they were all crazy? Alex had a slight smirk, anticipating this moment.
"Are you really going to carry me all this time?" Revy asked, still in his arms.
"That's so you don't run away. Though, if you're embarrassed, I can toss you over my shoulder like a sack," Alex smirked.
"Who's embarrassed?" Revy muttered with a clear hint of sarcasm.
Alex grinned but continued carrying her in his arms. Along the way, they, as usual, caught the glances and whispers of the male part of the team. Someone was already grumbling again that Alex's harem had expanded once more. And if Revy hadn't been in his arms, she would have definitely started a fight — unlike Rebecca the gremlin, who just loved to tease someone, Revy was a true hothead: it was easy to get her worked up, and then, heaven help anyone who crossed her.
Returning to the captain's bridge, Alex placed Revy on the floor. As soon as the girls saw this, they immediately started smiling. A playful curiosity sparkled in Yuriko's eyes.
"Alex, darling, you were supposed to go talk to Major Li... but you came back with Revy in your arms. Care to explain how that happened?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
"Well..." Alex started, scratching the back of his head. "I talked to Major Li, we arranged an exchange of food for supplies. Then old man Hayato and Elder Kwon came by. They asked me to treat their young lady..."
"Is that the grumpy old man with the permanently displeased face? And the girl with him — the white-haired one, like a porcelain doll?" Shizuka interjected, putting a finger to her lips.
"Yeah, yeah, that's them. Well, I helped Seol, and then I met a couple of new acquaintances in the lab..."
"And who are they?" Chikita asked, intrigued.
"Can I finish? It's Claire Redfield and Rebecca Chambers. You've already seen their dossiers. After that, I was walking down the hall and ran into Revy. I offered help, she complained about a bruise — I suggested rubbing it. And then... well, things just spiraled. We kissed. She was going to leave, saying nothing had happened. But, being a man, I decided to take responsibility. So, I kidnapped her," Alex said with a cocky grin.
Revy instantly blushed and nearly punched Alex. It was the exact opposite! He had run into her, started groping her, and then kissed her! Half of his version wasn't even true. The girls looked at Alex with smirks — they had already had a chat while he was gone, and they knew about his "tradition" of kidnapping girls like in fairy tales. They even jokingly started calling him "The Demon King, who kidnaps princesses."
Sensing the atmosphere, Alex cleared his throat and decided to change the topic. He retold everything — without embellishment. Then he took Revy's hand and led her, showing that she was now part of their strange little family.
The girls greeted her warmly, as they were already familiar with her — they'd had drinks together before, especially Revy and Rebecca, who had grown close due to their shared love of weapons.
When Alex finished his story, he stood up from the couch.
"Well, I'll leave Revy with you, ladies. I'm going to prepare gifts for our two 'friends.'"
"Just be careful. You said yourself that you don't want to shake the game board too much ahead of time," Yuriko reminded him, looking at him with a serious expression.
"What gifts? What friends? What game board? What are you even talking about?" Revy clearly looked confused.
"They'll explain everything to you. Just breathe deeper and don't panic. You'll find out," Alex said, kissing her on the cheek before leaving, leaving the girl with a light sense of anxiety and a feeling… of something very unusual.
Alex turned his gaze to Brunhilde, Yuriko, Kiriko, and Namiyo — those to whom he could entrust the most delicate part of the plan: telling Revy the whole truth. These women not only had courage but also the ability to stay calm in critical moments. They nodded, understanding that Alex was counting on them.
He smiled slightly, then looked at his assistants and nodded his head, calling them to follow him into the workshop. G.I.R., MIMI, Stitch, Red, White, and Wolf followed him, as if they knew something important awaited them. Before disappearing through the door, Alex threw Revy a sly, almost mischievous smile that made something stir inside her. She was troubled not only by his behavior but also by the strange looks from the other girls — as though they were anticipating the start of a theatrical performance.
And they were right — Revy was about to learn the truth.
Entering the workshop, Alex clapped his hands — bright light filled the room. He began explaining to his team what needed to be done and why they had been gathered here. It all boiled down to one thing — preparing a special gift for the Minister of Monoliths.
Alex had long suspected that despite the apparent hostility between the Minister of Monoliths and Davot, something more cunning was hidden deep within their plans. The Minister was likely planning to use Davot's army — and possibly even Davot himself — as a resource in the upcoming Descent. But Davot wasn't a fool. He likely had a similar plan — since the Minister was something like an Outer God, a concentration of enormous power that could be used as fuel for the machine that grants temporary immortality to Davot's closest followers.
Alex sat at his work desk and began pulling out materials. Everything was ready for the creation of new bombs, each one intended for the Red Markers — one of the key points of control over this world. While his assistants assembled the devices, Alex inscribed runes on them — to hide them from external observation and magical scanners. They needed many bombs — there were over a hundred Red Markers. And each Marker needed to be destroyed.
As each bomb was made, Alex teleported it directly to the target location. The surprise had to be loud and, most importantly, unexpected. And, of course, he didn't forget about Tau Volantis — the main point of contact with the Minister of Monoliths. This target required special attention.
While Alex worked, contemplating the upcoming battle with Davot and the Minister of Monoliths, the one thing that troubled him the most was the Icon of Sin. A creature that could only be killed by specially crafted weapons. And while this wasn't a problem for him — he could create whatever was needed — Alex still couldn't predict if another Icon would appear in this world.
The loud sound of a door slamming open distracted him from his thoughts.
"Alex!"
Revy stormed into the workshop, an irritated look on her face. She had just caught him at the moment when he was holding a black cube and sending it into a spatial rift. Her expression shifted abruptly — from confusion to total shock. The girls' words suddenly carried weight, becoming reality.
"So… they weren't just rambling. You really… are the Demon King. And your father — is he the big Boss?" Revy said, pointing a finger at Alex.
He turned to her with a soft smile:
"And how does it feel to learn that your new boyfriend is literally the ruler of Hell? Surprised?"
"I thought they were just crazy!" Revy blurted out. "Who could believe such nonsense? Gods, demons, invaders… Seriously? As if this world isn't already full of crap!"
Alex laughed, gave a thumbs up, and said:
"Now you know the truth. But don't worry. I'll do everything right. I promise."
Revy sighed wearily and pressed her palm to her forehead, as if trying to wake up from a strange dream. Everything happening around her seemed too absurd to be real. Alex, noticing her state, smiled softly, stood up, and hugged her. He glanced at the other girls, who were watching the scene with mild smiles. They had already come to terms with the truth — partly because they had suspected something for a while — but for Revy, it was something entirely new, something that shook the ground beneath her feet.
Alex gestured that he would explain everything now, and didn't forget to wink at the girls as a thank you for their excellent work. They chuckled quietly, blew him a kiss, and left — mission accomplished, now it was time for Alex to deal with the aftermath.
He carefully lifted Revy into his arms and returned to his workstation, sitting her on his lap.
"So, what are you doing here?" Revy asked, frowning. "The girls didn't really explain much… just about these 'invaders' and some surprise. And what was that thing you threw into the hole in the air?"
Alex smiled again and calmly began explaining what he was doing. He told her that he was preparing a "gift" for the invaders — a trap that would destroy their plans, even if they tried to shake up the board. Revy sighed heavily and decided to just watch, letting the information settle in her mind. Alex patiently explained every detail, trying to make it easier for her to accept this new reality.
They spent several hours in the workshop until Brunhilde arrived with a message: they had arrived at the location. Alex helped Revy to her feet — she had been sitting on his lap the whole time, listening carefully to his explanations. Before leaving, he decided to take Brunhilde, Yuriko, and Koko with him — these girls were masters of negotiations and could ensure a beneficial exchange of resources.
Revy watched him leave, still feeling like she had entered a madhouse. She hadn't expected the day to turn into such a surprise. Although the girls had asked her not to tell anyone, Revy knew herself: if she shared this with anyone, they would think she was insane.
Alex, Brunhilde, Yuriko, and Koko descended to the port and immediately noticed Major Lee and his assistant talking to a man in military uniform with a stern expression on his face. From their conversation, Alex understood that this man was clearly displeased with the government for deciding to save only the "chosen ones," abandoning ordinary people.
Alex and the girls approached closer.
"So, you're the guy who saved everyone," the man said, staring at Alex. "Hmm... I can see in your eyes — you're no fool. I'm Major Kim Nam-Joo."
"Nice to meet you, Major Kim," Alex replied, shaking the extended hand. "People like you and Major Lee are sadly rare. Those who truly care about the people."
"You're right," the major nodded. "My friend already informed me that you want to exchange food for useful resources. He said you're headed to Alaska. Hmm, that's quite a distance."
"Perhaps," Alex answered calmly. "But right now, Alaska is the safest place. It may be cold, but there's definitely fewer undead than here."
"Can't argue with that," the major agreed. "Alright, what do you have for trade?"
Alex took the tablet from Yuriko's hands and handed it to the officer.
"Here's a list of what we need. Everything on it we're willing to trade for food and other things you might need."
The major looked over the list and nodded.
"Got it. I think we can make a deal."
Alex, making sure the situation was progressing in the right direction, handed everything over to Yuriko, Brunhilde, and Koko — they would definitely get the deal done. The girls immediately began negotiating.
Alex, meanwhile, headed to inspect the port — he needed to assess the situation in the city before they continued their journey. The next stop was supposed to be Vladivostok, and then — Wesker Island… of course, if no new problems arose along the way.
To be continued...
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